应许遥不可及时——亞伯拉罕的信心之旅（十一）
When Promises Seem Far Away——
亚伯拉罕信心之旅第十一篇信息Abraham’s Journey of Faith Message No.11
『HIS TIME, HIS PROMISE祂的时间、祂的应许』
《创世记》17：1-8《Genesis》17:1-8
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立
亚伯拉罕信心之旅第十一篇信息Abraham’s Journey of Faith Message No.11：『HIS TIME，HIS PROMISE祂的时间、祂的应许』。Scripture reading is Genesis 17:1-8圣经的经文是《创世记》十七章1-8节：When Abram was ninety-nine years old，the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him“I am God Almighty；walk before me，and be blameless，that I may make my covenant between me and you，and may multiply you greatly.”亚伯兰九十九岁的时候，耶和华向他显现，说：『我是全能的上帝。你当在我面前作完全人。我就与你立约，使你的后裔极其繁多』。Then Abram fell on his face.And God said to him“Behold，my covenant is with you，and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations亚伯兰俯伏在地；上帝又对他说：『我与你立约；你要作多国的父。No longer shall your name be called Abram，but your name shall be called Abraham，for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful，and I will make you into nations，and kings shall come from you从此以后，你的名不再叫亚伯兰，要叫亚伯拉罕，因为我已立你作多国之父。我必使你的后裔极其繁多；国度从你而立，君王从你而出。Verse 7：And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant，to be God to you and to your offspring after you我要与你并你世世代代的后裔坚定我的约，作永远的约，是要作你和你后裔的上帝。And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings，all the land of Canaan，for an everlasting possession，and I will be their God.”我要将你现在寄居的地，就是迦南全地，赐给你和你的后裔永远为业，我也必作他们的上帝』。
INTRODUCTION导言：
We have seen the ups and downs of Abraham’s journey of faith我们已经看到亚伯拉罕信心的旅程的起伏：
《Genesis》15《创世纪》第十五章：God had vowed to Abram his love and his promise上帝发誓、应许、保证他对亚伯兰的爱的——the ceremony of the torch of fire passing between the pieces of animal meat天上来的火把走过了肉块这个仪式；and through this ceremony God saying God will NEVER be unfaithful to his covenant透过这个仪式，上帝发誓说他永远不会失约的。
《创世记》第十六章:But then we come to Chapter 16但是当我们来到第十六章的时候，we find Abram and Sarai his wife in foolishness；they felt and consequences was disasters我们看到亚伯兰跟他的妻子的愚蠢；结果他们跌倒了——亚伯兰跟撒莱惨败。They walked ahead of God’s time他们走在上帝时间的前面——跑得太快了；they use man’s secular methods to solve problems他们用了是世界上的人的世俗的方法来解决他们的问题。
《创世记》第十七章：Now we come to Chapter 17现在，我们来到第十七章了：13 years have passed by十三年的光阴过去了，Abraham is now 99 years old亚伯兰现在99岁了。Ishmael is beginning grow up以实马利已经开始长大了。What was happening in Abram’s mind and in his heart亚伯兰的心里面在想什么东西呢？Does he know the mind of God他知道上帝的心意吗？Or is he preparing for Ishmael to receive the inheritance还是说他在筹备以实马利来继承他的家业呢？
Have these been good years这些的年头是『好』的年日吗？How do evaluate
what is good那我们又怎么衡量这段的光阴是好的还是不好的呢？
[I]『IT’S NEVER A GOOD TIME从来不会有最好的时间！』『IT’S ALWAYS THE BEST TIME从来就是最好的时间』
Brothers and sisters弟兄姐妹，the first thing we want you see is今天我们第一件要看到的是：it’s never a good time；it’s always the best time从来不会有最好的时间；但是从来就是最好的时间！
我们会在『好日子』庆祝：We often celebrate good times我们会在『好日子』庆祝的：birthday、anniversaries生日、婚姻纪念日等等——We say it’s been a good day或者说是我们今天过得『很好』。What is“good”in reality究竟什么才算是『好』？What makes a day a“good”day一天过了，怎么样才算是过得『好』呢？
Charles Dickens in the beginning of his novel《A Tale of Two Cities》 put this way狄更斯在他所写的《双城记》的小说一开始这样说的：“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times『那是一个最好的时代，那是一个最坏的时代；it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness那是一个智慧的年代，那是一个愚蠢的年代；it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity那是一个相信的时期，那是一个怀疑的时期；it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness那是一个光明的季节，那是一个黑暗的季节；it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair那是希望之春，那是绝望之冬；we had everything before us, we had nothing before us我们前面应有尽有，我们前面一无所有；we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way我们都踏上直通天堂之路，我们都在相反的方向——直通地狱』”
我们往往用最自私、最自我中心的方法来衡量，也是如此衡量祷告的结果： Brothers and sisters弟兄姐妹，we often evaluate our days in the most self-centered or selfish way我们往往用自我中心的、最自私的方法来衡量我们的日子。When we evaluate how God responds our prayer，we evaluate in the same way当我们衡量上帝有没有听我们祷告的时候，也是这样子衡量的。Traditionally，Chinese people look for lucky or auspicious days华人传统上会『择吉日』——会选择一些的吉日。
今天我们该如何分辨现今的世代：How do we discern our days and our years究竟我们该怎么样分辨我们的日子、我们的年日呢？In I《Chronicles》12:32在《历代志》上十二章32节，the Bible tell us of a group of men圣经告诉我们有一群人——“Men of Isaacher以萨迦的一些族长”，the Bible says“Isaacher men who had understanding of the times以萨迦支派有二百族长是通达时务的，they understood their times 他们了解他们的年代，to know what Israel ought to do知道以色列人所当行的”——They knew their times，they knew what to do他们认识他们的年代、他们知道该怎么生活。In the New testament we find 《Ephesians》5:16新约我们读到《以弗所书》第五章16节：Paul says make the best use of the time or redeem the time，because the days are evil保罗说我们要爱惜光阴——原文是：要救赎光阴；因为现今的时代邪恶的。
什么才是『好的日子』？什么是『不好的日子』：So what are“good days”?What are“bad days”所以究竟什么才是好的日子、什么是不好的日子呢？Three things三方面：
[1]First of all第一方面，to us it always looks like a good day to sin犯罪的日子我们往往看起来都是好的。It always looks like a good time to sin去犯罪，我们往往看到的都是好的，but it is never a good time to sin但是从来没有好的日子去犯罪的。When we sin，our sins have consequences当我们犯罪的时候是会有后果的：Sometimes we don’t feel God’s presence我们往往会感觉不到上帝的同在；because when living in a period after we have sinned因为我们活在一个犯罪之后的时期，we are reaping the consequences of sin我们在承担犯罪的后果的。Now our sins are forgiven when we repent当我们认罪悔改的时候，我们的罪是赦免的。The eternal consequence of sin will be removed罪的永恒的后果是会除去的，but this does not mean there are no consequences in this life但是不等于说今生犯罪没有后果。So there’s never a good time to sin所以，犯罪从来没有好的时间去犯罪的。
[2]It’s never a happy time to meet God after we sinned to so to say“do business with God”犯罪之后要向上帝交账——上帝要我们面对他，（这）从来就不是快乐的时候的；but it is always inevitable但是这些的时间是必然的，and there are also necessary也是必须的——inevitable and necessary必然的、也是必须的。
[3]It’s never a good time、never a happy time for God to intervene into our lives and meet us where we are当上帝介入我们的生命来面对我们的时候，永远不是一个快乐的日子：But it is always his plan to do so in his good time但是在他的计划中必然会有这些的日子，因此是好的日子。It is a part of his wise plan是他的智慧的计划的一部分。
[4]As long as we are still living on this earth before our days on earth come to the end，this kind of time is always a time of salvation and time of grace而且在我们地上的日子还没有结束之前，这些的日子仍然是得救的日子、蒙恩的、被上帝悦纳的日子的：There is a verse in II《Corinthians》6：2《哥林多后书》第六章第2节圣经这样说的：“Behold now is a favorable time 看哪，现在正是悦纳的时候！Behold now is a day of salvation现在正是拯救的日子！”This verse is not for us to use for evangelistic messages这些经文不是给我们用在布道会的时候的。We shouldn’t use this verse and say：“Hurry up if you want to believe in Jesus，now it’s time.Otherwise after our meeting over,you may ought to be struck by a car这节经文不是让我们来说：“你要信耶稣吗？就快快信，现在正是时候。不然等一下散会之后，你可能被车子撞到了。”A proper interpretation of this verse这句经文的正确的解释is through interpreting Scripture with Scripture乃是要以经解经。“Behold now is a favorable time！Behold now is a day of salvation看哪，现在正是悦纳的时候！现在正是拯救的日子！”II《Corinthians》6：2 is pointing to《Isaiah》49:8《哥林多后书》第六章第2节是暗指《以赛亚书》四十九章第8节的。Now《Isaiah》49:8 says this《以赛亚书》四十九章第8节是这样说的：“In a time of favor I have answered you；in a day of salvation I have helped you在悦纳的时候，我应允了你；在拯救的日子，我济助了你；I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people我要保护你，使你做众民的约——中文翻成是中保——众民的约。Now what’s happening here这里发生什么事呢？Here God Jehovah promising the Messiah something在这里耶和华是在给弥赛亚、在给耶稣基督一个应许的，God is promising Jesus Christ上帝向耶稣基督应许说：that even though Jesus will experience weakness and hardship耶稣虽然在地上的时候会经历软弱和痛苦。Now he never sinned他从来没有犯罪，but he will experience weariness、weakness and pain但是耶稣基督会疲倦、会软弱、会痛苦。However God will help him然而耶和华会帮助他的：And he will answer Jesus’prayer耶和华会应允耶稣的祷告——how怎么样呢？God will give Jesus multitudes：That is “the church around the world”耶和华会赐给耶稣基督数不尽的子民；换言之，普世万国万民的教会。There will be Christians all around the world全地都会有基督的信徒，that’s God’s gift to Jesus这个是上帝给耶稣的礼物。This is God’s answer to Jesus’s prayer这个是上帝对耶稣的祷告的答案。
Simply put简言之：Today，before our lives end in this world，it is still a day of grace今天，我们仍然在地上的时候，仍然是恩典的日子。Jesus has risen，Jesus has gone to heaven耶稣已经复活了、升天了。Even though our faith is weak，even though we sin and offend Lord，God is still the Lord of grace我们的信心虽然软弱，我们虽然仍然会犯罪顶撞主，但是神仍然是恩主。This…brothers and sisters，is the story of《Genesis》17弟兄姐妹，这个是《创世记》十七章的故事——This is the meaning of the story in《Genesis》17：1-8这个就是《创世记》第十七章第1到8节这个故事的意义。
It is always God’s best time每一刻都是上帝最好的时间——It is always God’s best time to do his work永远是最好的时光，是上帝作工的最好的时光。Now when God comes——when God comes to intervene in our lives，what kind of work will he do那么上帝来、当上帝来要介入到我们生命的时候，他会做些什么事呢？
First we see some general principles of what kind of work he would like to do首先我们看到，上帝来的时候、要做工的时候会做一些一般的怎么样的工作。[1]Well，we will see God will exercise discipline我们看到上帝会执行管教——Who he loves he discipline他所爱的他必管教的。
[2]God will point out our sin to us or reveal our sin to us第二上帝会指出我们的罪、上帝会显露我们的罪。
[3]God will reveal his holiness and his love to us他会显现他的圣洁、他的爱。[4]God will promise his power for our lives他会应许他的大能。
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[5]He will reaffirm his loving grace to us他会再次的肯定、应许他会爱我们的:We
find examples in many of the lives in the Bible我们也看到圣经人物里面，很多他们生平里都有这些的时光的。In the lives of David and Jonah在大卫、在约拿的生命中，in the lives of Peter and Paul在彼得、保罗的生命中……。
This morning secondly今天早上第二方面，now let us come to see我们来看:
[II] IN《GENESIS》17在《创世记》第十七章：WHEN GOD COMES,WHAT DOES HE COME TO DO AND WHAT DOES HE NOT DO上帝来的时候，祂会作什么？祂不作什么？
We are looking at《Genesis》17 in this context我们来从上下文看（《创世记》）整章的第十七章：
First what God does not do首先上帝不做什么呢？
[1]Very interesting、very revealing、very important很重要的…显出一些重要的原则：What does God not do神不会做什么呢？First，when we sin，God does not lower his standards首先，我们犯罪的时候，上帝不会将他的标准降低的：God doesn’t grade on a curve上帝不像老师，拿全班的平均来打分数的——Verse 1 God says上帝在（《创世记》十七章）第1节说：Walk before me and be perfect你当在我面前作完全人。And the same way Jesus says in 《Matthew》5:48耶稣同样在《马太福音》五章48节说：You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect所以，你们要完全，像你们的天父完全一样。
When we hear this，is there hope for us我们听到这些话的时候有盼望吗？Yes there is hope有的，有盼望的。There is the Gospel in the Old Testament《旧约圣经》里面是有福音信息的！But God does not lower his standards但是上帝不会降低他的标准的。
[2]God doesn’t need our help to accomplish his purpose上帝不需要我们来帮祂的忙来成就祂的计划的：God doesn’t need Abram’s help上帝不需要亚伯兰来帮他的忙。Our help often gets in the way that goes to opposite to God’s plan我们的帮忙往往是越帮越忙，是违背上帝的计划，是跑相反的方向的。So God doesn’t need our help所以上帝不需要我们帮他忙。
[3]God does not give up on us上帝并没有放弃我们：He did not give up on Abram上帝没有放弃亚伯兰；and he does not give up on his people上帝不会撇弃他的子民的。
[4]God also does not change his plan上帝也不会改变祂的计划；He simply moves forward祂继续前进就是了——As a sovereign Lord, He moves forward his plan of salvation——祂是掌权的主宰，他继续前进，成就祂的救赎计划的： Now for us，it’s hard to understand how all these four things simultaneous at the same time对我们来说，好像很难明白这四件事是怎么同时会发生的呢？God does not lower his standards，yet he moves on with his plan上帝不降低他的标准，但是他继续他的计划。He doesn’t need our help，but he doesn’t give us up他不需要我们帮忙，但是又没有撇弃我们的。We serve a wonderful God我们所服事的是奇妙的上帝的。
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